As PECO funds dwindle, building restoration projects may be on hold

The University of Florida is searching for funding to restore buildings on campus in need of repair. The Public Education Capital Outlay, or PECO funding has been reduced, and schools may not get any money for up to a possible three-years. In the past, the University received between 30 to 80 million dollars for building construction and repairs. University of Florida Chief Financial Officer Matt Fajack says the lack of growth in Florida and more people relying on cell phones have contributed to the problem. Fajack adds the concern isn’t the inability to construct new buildings but rather maintain the ones the university has.

With the lack of PECO funding, learning environments could also take a hit. Moving forward, the committee wants to make recommendations to the board of governors, who could make recommendations to the legislature.

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Manuel Zelaya, his brother Daniel and their longtime friend Marc Charbel are in their mid-twenties and co-founders of Lazy Delivery, a business that delivers groceries and other items from physical stores to area residents. They are expanding their business to Tallahassee later this month.

Swamp Head Brewery has moved to a new location and installed solar panels, becoming the first solar-powered brewery in Florida. Their goal has always been to become more sustainable, and they have taken other initiatives such as buying land for preservation and aiding in conservation efforts to do so.

The city of Palatka is revitalizing its downtown through several development projects. At its center is the restoration of four vacant buildings that will contain commercial, residential and retail spaces.